2014 Bentiu massacre
The 2014 Bentiu massacre occurred on 15 April 2014 in the town of Bentiu, in the north of South Sudan, during the South Sudanese conflict (2013–14). The attack has been described by The Economist as the "worst massacre" of the ongoing civil war.South Sudan, economist.com. Prelude Prior to the attack, people had sought refuge in places of worship and healing,An ‘abomination’: Slaughter in the mosques and churches of Bentiu, South Sudan, washingtonpost.com. while a local radio station featured rebel commanders warning certain ethnic groups, except the Nuers, that they were coming for them, calling on the other groups to rape the non-Nuer women.An ‘abomination’: Slaughter in the mosques and churches of Bentiu, South Sudan, washingtonpost.com. Attack UN human rights investigators said that after rebels wrested Bentiu from government forces in heavy battles, the gunmen spent two days hunting down those who they believed opposed them.S.Sudan rebels slaughter 'hundreds' in ethnic massacres: UN, news.yahoo.com. The killers, identified by the United Nations as forces of the Nuer-led “Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition Army”, went from place to place, from mosque to church to hospital, separating people by ethnicity and religion and shooting the ones left behind.An ‘abomination’: Slaughter in the mosques and churches of Bentiu, South Sudan, washingtonpost.com. Civilians were killed in the town's main hospital, in a Catholic church and especially in the Kali-Ballee mosque,South Sudan: Bentiu atrocity will not be the last unless pleas for help are heard, theguardian.com. where hundreds had taken shelter and where the rebels "separated individuals of certain nationalities and ethnic groups and escorted them to safety, while the others were killed," according to a UN report.S.Sudan rebels slaughter 'hundreds' in ethnic massacres: UN, news.yahoo.com. A week after the attack, bodies still littered the streets.South Sudan: Bentiu atrocity will not be the last unless pleas for help are heard, theguardian.com. Casualties South Sudan’s government said the death toll from the massacre exceeded 400.SOUTH SUDAN SAYS MASSACRE TOLL UP TO 400, america.aljazeera.com. In the main mosque alone, "more than 200 civilians were reportedly killed and over 400 wounded," the UN mission in the country said.S.Sudan rebels slaughter 'hundreds' in ethnic massacres: UN, news.yahoo.com.An ‘abomination’: Slaughter in the mosques and churches of Bentiu, South Sudan, washingtonpost.com. According to a source, many of the victims were Sudanese, in particular traders from Darfur as well as soldiers from the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), a Sudanese rebel group from Darfur accused of supporting the South Sudanese government. According to the source, JEM fighters removed their uniforms and hid in the mosque, before being shot. However, a Sudanese human rights group rejected this claim, saying those killed were unarmed civilians.South Sudan: Bentiu atrocity will not be the last unless pleas for help are heard, theguardian.com. Aftermath Rebel leader, Riek Machar, said his forces were not behind the killingsS Sudan rebel leader rejects massacre claims, aljazeera.com. and rebel spokesman Lul Ruai Koang said, "the government forces and their allies committed these heinous crimes while retreating."South Sudan sacks army chief over Bentiu, sbs.com.au. See also *Ethnic violence in South Sudan (2011–present) References Category:Massacres in Africa Category:Massacres in places of worship Category:2014 in South Sudan Category:History of South Sudan Category:Greater Upper Nile Category:Attacks in 2014